Dhyan Chand 117th birth anniversary: PM Modi hails hockey wizard as nation celebrates sports day

New Delhi, Aug 29: In his monthly 'Mann ki Baat' radio broadcast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (August 29) paid glowing tributes to hockey wizard Dhyan Chand, saying he conquered the world of hockey for the country.

The country celebrates National Sports Day on Sunday on the occasion of the 114th birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand.

Noting that India won an Olympic medal in men's hockey after over four decades, he said the youth is now drawn towards sports and their parents are happy to back them. The Indian men's hockey team won a bronze medal at the recently concluded Tokyo Summer Olympic Games and ended the wait of 41 years.

Tokyo 2020: Khel Ratna renamed in honour of hockey legend Dhyan Chand

"All of us know that today is the birth anniversary of Major Dhyanchandji. And our country celebrates it as National Sports Day. And irrespective of the number of medals won, no citizen of India enjoys victory until a medal is won in hockey. And this time, in the Olympics, the medal that was won for hockey came our way after four decades," Modi said.

"The youth is now drawn towards sports and their parents are happy to back them. This itself is a great tribute to Dhyan Chand.

"Whenever the subject of Sports and Games is touched upon, the entire young generation comes into view; naturally so. And when we cast a keen glance at the young generation, we notice a sweeping change there. The mind of the youth has undergone a transformation," Modi added further in his radio address.

Highlighting the positive effects of the Tokyo Olympics -- where India produced its best-ever show with a total of seven medals, including a gold -- Modi said, "This time, Olympics have created a major impact. The events at the Olympics are over; the Paralympics are going on. Whatever our country earned in this world of Sports may be little in comparison with the world, but enough has happened to bolster our belief."

Modi further claimed that the sportsman spirit has gripped the entire nation now and the energy is not going to stop. "In the country now, Sports and Games, sportsman spirit is not to stop. In family life, in social life, in the life of the nation, this momentum has to be accorded permanence... Infusing it with energy, replenishing it with relentless new energy," PM added further.